Method for the detection of the presence of passivation in an integrated circuit

摘要

A method for detecting the presence of a passivation layer on an integrated circuit comprises sending out a train of pulses of different widths at one end of a line of metal that winds on the surface of the integrated circuit beneath the protection layer of the integrated circuit. The line of metal and the dielectric layer of the integrated circuit form an RC filter. The number of pulses received at the other end of the line of metal is counted and compared with at least one characteristic reference value of the filter.